SC rejects Delhi police plea against HC order in 2018 CS assault case
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 1
The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a Delhi police plea against the Delhi High Court order asking it to supply the copy of statement of a witness to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and 11 MLAs in a 2018 assault case.
“It may be a political hot potato, but in a legal sense it’s nothing at all,” said a Bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud. The case relates to an alleged assault on the then chief secretary, Anshu Prakash, during a meeting at Kejriwal’s official residence on February 19, 2018. Besides Kejriwal and Sisodia, 11 AAP MLAs were named as accused in the case.
Kejriwal, Sisodia and nine AAP MLAs were granted bail in October 2018, while the other two MLAs — Amanatullah Khan and Prakash Jarwal — were given bail earlier by the high court.
The top court said the high court’s order supported liberty and “we support it”. Moreover, as per the basic principles of natural justice, there must be a robust common sense that the accused must have a copy of the witness’s statement, it said.
On behalf of the police, Additional Solicitor General Aman Lekhi said if the high court order was not set aside, it would have some serious repercussions.
